Shipment of Used ICT Products to Developing Countries

Abstract

As a measure to avert environmental hazards, conventions and regula-tions have been formulated, which are complex and getting stricter. The purpose of this chapter is to propose environmental policy to influence sustainable flow of used Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products to West African Countries. The research investigated the role of Life Cycle Management (LCM) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) environmental policy to improve end of life management of used ICT products. The study was conducted using theoretical descriptive (explanatory) analysis based on past literatures and related research. The first model identifies the current end of life management impacts. The second model presents an environmental policy (EPR) that encourages waste minimization through reuse and recovery initiatives. The aim is to establish feedback loops from downstream (end-of-life management) to upstream (producer of the product) through a take back system for used ICT products. Further investigation highlights the influence of environmental regulation with a SWOT analysis. It was found that environmental regulation mediates social, health and environmental concerns. However, for sustainability, ICT product manufacturers should be responsive to their customers' environmental concerns and needs. 8.1 General Background Environmental pollution has been a challenging phenomenon for decades, although its impact was not felt as much as it is present. The ever-growing human populace necessitates increasing the production of goods and services. The more technology is applied in production; the environment is affected more through pollution. As a result, many conventions were organized and ratified, policies formulated and com-muniqués adopted for environmental protection. The restriction on Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) of the " Montreal Protocol " , reduction in the emission of CO 2 of the " Kyoto Protocol " , the Rio summit, and Sustainable Development Announcements of Johannesburg World Summit. The European Union adopted